Rebecca Blackburn
Navigation Walk
Leeds
LS10 1JJ
*******.*********@*******.**.**
Personal statement
An ACA accountant currently working in audit for PwC, with a wide variety of experience in consumer
and industrial markets. I am currently looking for a new and challenging role which allows me to apply
my existing skills set whilst developing new skills to meet new challenges. Having always wanted to
live and work in Australia, I feel that it is now an appropriate t ime within my career to
expand my horizons and take on a new challenge within a new work/life environment .
Experience in team management has been gained in during my 5 years in practice, and I am able to
manage projects from conception to completion, including monitoring of and review of the work of
other team members. I have excellent written and verbal communication skills and am competent in
report writing, leading meetings and making presentations. I also have experience in drafting financial
statements and tax computations from basic source data.
I have strong technical ability with experience working under UK GAAP, IFRS and some US GAAS
experience and am able to work well independently and as part of a team.
I am currently UK based, but would be happy to discuss visa requirements and options.
Career History
Senior Associate at PwC Leeds
December 2013 to present
• Leading audits of a portfolio of manufacturing and industrial market clients
• Key clients include WM Morrisons Plc, Thorntons Plc, and Brenntag UK & Ireland.
• Main point of contact for all client contact, leading teams of various sizes, including coaching
and review of work performed by teams, and providing strengths based feedback to in
charges and associates.
• Taking on a manager role for a substantial portion of my client portfolio including budgeting
billing and managing client relationships.
• Project work reviewing restatement from UK GAAP to IFRS for client transitioning to IFRS.
• Regular exposure to senior individuals including senior audit partners and client operational
and finance teams.
• Experience in a variety of client industries resulting in strong technical knowledge of both
IFRS and UK GAAP accounting standards
Audit Senior at Armstrong Watson Leeds
March 2013 to December 2013
• Leading audits of a portfolio of owner managed businesses and pension schemes.
• Key clients throughout my time at Armstrong Watson were Vox Africa Plc and IBISWorld
Limited as well as pension scheme audits for clients such as White Young Consulting Group
and Standard Fireworks.
• Accounts preparation experience from both complete and incomplete records for a variety of
businesses ranging from software businesses to property development clients.
• Regular exposure to business owners and key client staff.
• Experience in producing corporation tax computations using Alphatax software.
• Networking and business development has been a key part of my role, attending seminars,
client events, and professional networking events whenever required.
Audit Assistant at KPMG Leeds
October 2009 to March 2013
• Leading and assisting in audit of a portfolio of clients in the Industrial Markets department of
audit.
• Responsibility for teams of up to 4 people in performing large financial statement and group
reporting audits including major private and listed entities as well as wide experience of
pension scheme audit. Key clients throughout the time at KPMG were Shepherd Building
Group and BOC. I also have a wide experience of pension scheme audit, clients including
Hallmark Group Pension Plan, and exposure to charity audits including the Yorkshire Dales
Millennium Trust.
Senior Site Administrator at Clegg Accommodation Solutions
March 2009 – October 2009
• Key responsibilities included:
o Ensuring that aspects of health and safety were complied with (Health and safety
reports submitted to head office in a timely manner, visitors provided with suitable site
safety training and signed in and out)
o Arranging site meetings and visits, managing diary for site team and ensuring that all
meetings were booked into an appropriate meeting space and catered for.
o Ensuring that the code for sustainable homes criteria were met - producing monthly
waste, water and power reports.
o Tracking and cataloguing drawings as revised and ensuring new issues were
distributed to the appropriate personnel.
o Any other ad hoc duties as required.
Subcontract Accounts Assistant at Clegg Group Ltd
Summer 2008
• Processing payments to subcontractors, raising orders, maintaining databases, responding to
payment queries, filing and general administrative duties.
Skills and achievements
• Leading teams in medium sized audit clients from planning to completion.
o Ability to manage teams of individuals and ensure that teams are able to produce the
highest possible standard of work.
o Develops strong working relationships within a short space of time.
o Planning and organising a team of staff and significant number of tasks on a daily
basis including supervision and coaching of junior staff.
o Liaising with senior internal and client representatives and being the main point of
contact between the two.
• Drafting and completion of a number of deliverable reports to clients.
o Attention to detail and ability to deliver reports in appropriate business language
o Ability to recognise and preserve companies reputation of quality in its staff and
products.
Education
ICAEW – ACA Fully Qualified from 2013
Leeds University - Sept 2008 – September 2009
• Distinction in European and International Business Law (LLM)
Leeds University - Sept 2005 – July 2008
• 2:1 in Law (LLB)
The National School, Hucknall Sept 1998 – July 2005
• 3 A Levels (English Literature A, English Language B, Biology B)
• 10 GCSE’s including 2 A*’s, 7 A’s and 1 B
Other skills
• Advanced Excel skills and competent with Word and PowerPoint.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
• Familiarity with a number of accounting packages such as SAP and Sage
• Full UK driving licence
Interests
• Music – Play flute, saxophone and piano, although my primary instrument is the flute.
• Theatre and Literature - keen interest in literature having read classic titles such as The Great
Gatsby and To Kill A Mockingbird to modern greats such as The Maltese Falcon and
Fahrenheit 451. I also have an enthusiasm for theatre, in the past year I have seen a number
of productions including Wicked, Calamity Jane and White Christmas.
References
References are available upon request.